The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may or may not constitute prior art.
Typical motor vehicles employ various types of actuators. For example, actuators are employed as hydraulic valves, mechanical piston actuators, clutching mechanisms in the operation of the vehicle's transmission, engine, motorized seats, and any other device or apparatus that requires a physical movement of a component to engage or disengaged the device or apparatus.
Recently, certain actuators employ shape memory alloys to impart an actuation force. Shape memory alloys have the desirable property of becoming rigid when heated above a transition temperature, such that the component formed of the shape memory alloy contracts, thereby imparting the actuation force. To remove the actuation force, however, the shape memory alloy must cool before the alloy can be heated again to engage the actuator.